Symmetrical and non-symmetrical 3D wing deformation of flapping micro aerial vehicles

Wing deformation can improve the performance of flapping wing MAV. Although this can be achieved through passive wing deformation, it is not possible to tune the deformation easily to obtain maximum performance. With the advancement in smart materials, prescribed deformation to improve maximum performance is becoming more practical. In this study, we study different forms of deformation, including a unique single-sided deformation to improve the wing's performance. This study extends the previous 2D study to 3D, and investigates if the favorable results in the earlier study are also applicable in 3D. Results show that we can obtain improvements as much as 111% for thrust and 125% for efficiency through careful selection of parameters. Positive lift coefficient of up to 1.45 is also observed when non symmetrical single sided flexing is used. This study will be helpful in the design of future flapping wing MAV. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.